WashingtonWashington law bars force and threats against school workers and sports officials
Washington law makes force against school workers, students, and sports officials, and threats meant to intimidate them, criminal offenses.
What it does
The law makes it unlawful to use force or violence against school employees, contractors, students, or sports officials and volunteers while they work, study, or carry out their duties. A conviction can bring a fine or jail time; students may face removal or an event ban, and convicted adults must be barred from the school or event for 12 to 18 months.
The law makes it unlawful to threaten force or violence to intimidate school employees, contractors, students, or sports officials and volunteers while they work, study, or carry out their duties. A conviction can bring a fine of up to $500, jail time of up to six months, or both.
Argument forCriminal penalties for force and threats could help protect school workers, students, and sports officials while they work, study, or serve at events.
Argument againstA gross misdemeanor conviction could bring a fine, jail time, and a year or more away from the school or sports event involved.
More detail
The law makes it unlawful to use force or violence to interfere with covered people while they work, study, or carry out their duties. It covers employees and contractors of public or private elementary and secondary schools, students in those schools, and officials or volunteers serving at their sports events. The person must be peacefully working, studying, or carrying out event duties. A person convicted of this crime may be fined up to $500, jailed for up to six months, or both. A public school student's interference is grounds for emergency removal under the rules cited in the law. A public school student may be excluded from the sports event where the interference occurred. After conviction, a person other than a student must be excluded from the school or sports event involved for 12 to 18 months.
The law makes it unlawful to threaten force or violence to intimidate covered people while they work, study, or carry out their duties. It covers employees and contractors of public or private elementary and secondary schools, students in those schools, and officials or volunteers serving at their sports events. The person must be peacefully working, studying, or carrying out event duties. A person convicted of this crime may be fined up to $500, jailed for up to six months, or both.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 23Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 23Chapter 155, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 23Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 12Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 11Speaker signed.Major
- Mar 10President signed.Passed House
- Mar 9Passed final passage; yeas, 47; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#7). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 9Senate concurred in House amendments.
- Mar 3Third reading, passed; yeas, 92; nays, 2; absent, 0; excused, 4.Minor
- Vote recorded Final Passage as Amended by the House (#13). Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 3Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 3Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- Feb 25Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Feb 23Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Feb 19CS - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 19Executive action taken in the House Committee on Community Safety at 8:00 AM.
- Feb 18Public hearing in the House Committee on Community Safety at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 30First reading, referred to Community Safety.Minor
- Jan 28Third reading, passed; yeas, 46; nays, 3; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#14). Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 28Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Jan 28Floor amendment(s) adopted.
- Jan 21Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Jan 12Moved to Rules White Sheet.
- Jan 12By resolution, reintroduced and retained in present status.
- 2025
- Mar 17Senate Rules "X" file.
- Mar 10Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 14Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Feb 13Minority; without recommendation.Minor
- Feb 13EDU - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 13Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 30Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education at 10:30 AM.
- Jan 15First reading, referred to Early Learning & K-12 Education.Introduced
EducationCriminal JusticePublic Safety